Outboard motor lock



Nov. 17, 1959 J. s. PUTMAN ETA]. 2,912,847

OUTBOARD MOTOR LOCK Filed Dec. 26, 1956 F m M J 0 A T N B M M Vm mu P 5 an 0 MH m JN V. B

ATTORNEYS United States' PatentO OUTBOARD MOTOR LOCK John S. Putnran, Farmington, and Nicholas R. Babajolf,

Birmingham, Mich.; said Putman assignor to said Bahajofi Application December 26, 1956, Serial No. 630,632

2 Claims. (Cl. 70-432) This invention relates to locking devices and refers more particularly to an outboard motor lock.

One object of this invention is to provide a locking device for outboard motors which will prevent the theft or unauthorized removal of the motor.

Another object of the invention is to provide an outboard motor lock which is relatively inexpensive and composed of a few simple parts.

A further object of the invention is to provide an outboard motor lock which is adjustable and consequently adapted for use in connection with motors of varying shapes and sizes.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an outboard motor lock which will not interfere with the operation of the motor.

Other objects will become apparent as the following description proceeds especially when considered with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary elevational view showing a locking device embodying the invention in operative relation to an outboard motor.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 22 on Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 33 on Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 on Fig. 3.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, a clamp 60 is provided for mounting an outboard motor 62 on the rear end or transom 64 of a boat. The clamp 60 comprises a one-piece member 61 of generally O-shape. The outer leg of the C-shaped member, indicated at 66, has laterally spaced screws 68 threadedly engaged therewith and formed with abutments 70 for engagement with the outer side of the transom. The other leg 72 of the clamp has the laterally spaced screws 74 threadedly engaged therewith and provided with abutments 76 for engagement with the inner side of the transom. A mount ing bracket 78 is pivoted to the clamp as indicated at 80 for vertical swinging movement and is removably secured to the drive shaft housing 82 of the motor. The motor housing is indicated at 84. The clamp is suitably slotted for clearing the bracket 78.

The screws 74 have the threaded shanks 86 which threadedly engage in threaded openings in the leg 72 of the clamp. Each screw 74 also has an elongated head 88 rigidly secured to the end thereof and' extending transversely of the shank.

The locking device is indicated generally at 90 and is engageable with the screw heads to prevent them from turning and hence to lock the clamp against unauthorized removal from the transom, or from a display stand or other mounting.

The locking device 90 includes a pair of tubular members 92 and 94 which are of identical construction. Each tubular member is cylindrical and open at each end. The tubular members 92 and 94 are formed with elongated slots 96 in one wall thereof. The slot in each member extends lengthwise thereof and is open at the end adjacent the other member. The opposite ends of the slots terminate short of the remote ends of the tubular members. The slots 96 are of a width slightly greater than the diameter of the screw shanks 86 but less than the width of the screw heads measured transversely of the shaft.

The tubular members 92 and 94 are of large enough inside diameter to receive the screw heads 88 when the latter are turned as illustrated in Fig. 2 so that they extend lengthwise of the tubular members. However the inside diameter of the tubular members is considerably less than the length of the heads so that the heads cannot rotate within the locking device but are capable only of a limited oscillation.

Tubular connecting members 100 and 102 are respectively secured to the tubular members 92 and 94. The connecting members are cylindrical and extend parallel to the slotted tubular members 92 and 94 respectively and are secured directly thereto wall-to-wall. The adjacent ends of the connecting members 100 and 102 are open and the member 102 is of a smaller size enabling it to slide easily into and out of telescoping relation with the larger diameter connecting member 100. A web 103 connects members 94 and 102 so as to space them slightly to the extent necessary to axially align members 92 and 94 in the relation shown. The connecting member 100 is formed with the pairs of diametrically opposed aligned apertures 104 and 106, and the tubular member 102 is formed with the pair of diametrically opposed apertures 108 and 110. The longitudinal spacing between the pairs of apertures 104 and 106 is equal to that between the pairs of apertures 108 and 110.

Before the locking device is applied, the heads 88 are turned so that they extend in a common plane as in the drawing. The telescoping connecting members 100 and 102 are moved together in telescoping relation during which time the screw heads enter the tubular members 92 and 94, the slots 96 clearing the screw shanks. The telescoping members are moved to a position in which a pair of aligned apertures in one registers with those in the other, whereupon the bow or shackle of the padlock 116 is inserted. The padlock is then closed to retain the screws against rotation.

It might be noted that the screw shanks are positioned adjacent to the closed ends of the slots 96 when the device is locked by the padlock. The apertures in the telescoping members are arranged so that there is insuflicient clearance between the screw shanks and the closed ends of the slots to permit unauthorized removal of the clamping device. The distance between members 92 and 94 when locked together in any of the adjusted positions permitted by the aligned apertures, is sufficient to clear the handle H on the motor housing when the outboard motor is swung to inoperative position.

The drawings and the foregoing specification constitute a description of the improved outboard motor lock in such full, clear, concise and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, the scope of which is indicated by the appended claims.

What we claim as our invention is:

l. A locking device for securing the spaced screws of an outboard motor clamp against unauthorized movement, the screws having threaded shanks and elongated heads extending transversely of the shanks, said locking device comprising a pair of elongated tubular members, the inside diameters of said tubular members being sufficiently large to receive the elongated screw heads when the latter are disposed lengthwise of and within said respective tubular members yet enclosing the screw heads sufiicient- 1y closely to prevent them for rotating relative to said tubular members, each tubular member being open at 3 one end and having a longitudinally extending slot extending from said one end toward the opposite end but ter minating short of the latter, said slots being of a width to freely receive the screw shanks but less than the width and length of the screw heads, and means for releasably locking said tubular members in aligned relation with their open ends adjacent each other and with the distance between the closed ends of said slots at least as great as the spacing between the screw shanks, said means including elongated tubular telescoping parts respectively carried by said tubular members, each part being rigidly secured to a side of a tubular member along the full length of said side which side is spaced 90 from the slot in said member, each part having one end flush with the said opposite end of the member to which it is secured and extending parallel with said member and having an extended tubular portion beyond said open end of said member, and means for releasably locking said telescoping parts together with the extended tubular portions thereof telescoped one within the other in position with said tubular members in the aligned relation aforesaid and with said slots aligned, the adjacent open ends of said tubular members in said aligned relation being spaced apart sufliciently to provide clearance for an outboard motor pivoted to the clamp, said last-named means including a locking shackle, and a pair of transversely aligned apertures in each of the extended tubular portions of said parts, the aligned apertures in one extended tubular portion being registerable with those in the other in the aforesaid telescoping relation thereof to receive said shackle.

2. A locking device as defined in claim 1 in which one of said extended tubular portions has an additional'pair of transversely aligned apertures spaced lengthwise thereof from the first-mentioned pair therein for selective registration with the pair of apertures in the other of said extended tubular portions to receive said shackle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

